Privacy
by TheAlly014
Summary: KeithXOC In search of privacy during their engagement party, Keith and Skylar retreat to a balcony where they reflect on how they came to be together through their hardships. *Fluff, Fluff* -May be edited later-


_**A/N: Another one-shot. :) It's ok, I may edit it later, but for now, R&R and enjoy! Hopefully I did Keith some justice. He was challenging to write for. Just like Joshua was rough. **_

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**Privacy**

Prince Keith stood in the corner as he conversed with the five princes before him. The party at Nobel Michel was just starting, and he was on his third glass of wine. His eyes darted between his fellow princes and Skylar in the distance. Skylar was standing on the other side of the room talking to her new friend, Cynthia, and he couldn't let himself turn his gaze away from her for too long.

"Keithster, you should probably slow down." Prince Roberto said and patted his back. Keith nearly choked on the wine he just drank.

Clearing his throat, he shrugged off his worries, "Why should I? I'm perfectly fine."

Prince Edward added, "It's your engagement party, Prince Keith. Relax and dance with your fiancé."

"Don't drink yourself into a stupor," Prince Joshua noted, "especially here. It's disgraceful."

Keith resisted an eye roll and sighed instead, "I'm not ignorant of that."

"What is it then? Aren't you happy with Skylar?" Prince Glenn questioned, "Though I'm sure it would be the other way around."

Prince Keith found himself grinding his teeth at Glenn's suggestion, "Don't speak of things you don't know, kid."

Glenn narrowed his eyes at the green-eyed prince as Prince Edward stepped between them, "This is an engagement party and we must remember ourselves." His voice was strict and his gaze serious. Keith didn't see this side of him often.

Prince Glenn exhaled and spoke softer, "I just don't understand what he has to mope about."

Wilfred finally chose to speak up, "I agree that you're not as excited as I expected."

Keith knew the way he acted would be noticed, but they didn't understand the reason behind it. Shaking his head, he excused himself from the princes and headed toward his future wife. It wasn't excitement he lacked as it was privacy. The party was just a duty he had to fulfill because of his position, but if it were up to him, he and Skylar would still be at Liberty manse and stay there. Maybe Keith had gone mad. All he used to do was go to parties and rub elbows with the rich and famous, but as of late, he'd rejected invitation after invitation.

Skylar caught sight of Prince Keith heading her way and smiled past Cynthia's shoulder, "Your future husband coming this way?"

Skylar blushed and bit back her smile, "How'd you know?"

"The look on your face tells more than you know." Cynthia answered and patted her shoulder, "We'll talk more later, right?"

She nodded absently and waited in her spot as Cynthia left. Prince Keith grinned and reached for her hands as he walked toward her. Skylar had to bite back the ever-growing desire to jump into his arms when Keith smiled like that. Trying to resist, Keith squeezed her hands comfortingly, and his eyes dropped to her lips. She wanted a kiss as badly as he did, but in public, they had to deny such affection. They both lacked in willpower.

Keith leaned in closer and whispered, "How much longer until we can leave?"

"Until Nobel Michel announces us." Skylar answered then sighed, "Another twenty minutes."

He released an annoyed sigh and parted his lips to speak his thoughts. When his lips parted to speak them, he clamped them shut and a blush spread throughout his face. He took her hand and placed a kiss on each knuckle as if to voice his thoughts. Skylar knew he had trouble doing so. Her lips tugged up and she fought back the desire again to kiss him.

"Damn you." Skylar muttered, "You're making this too hard."

Keith smirked defiantly and pulled her close, "Maybe we should dance to get it off our mind."

Skylar recalled the incident in Liberty the last time they 'danced'. When Prince Keith had tried to help train Skylar to improve her dancing, he found her body against his too inviting. They only had a moment to put their clothes back on when Luke came to check on them. Her eyes widened and she bit back curse after curse and pressed her lips into a fine line. Keith laughed as his fiancé's face turned a deep shade of scarlet, and he kissed the knuckles of her hand again. It was the only acceptable public kiss that he could give her while away from Liberty.

She finally calmed her thoughts and tore herself away from Keith, "Dancing would make it worse." Skylar mumbled, "Why don't we just go out to the balcony for a little while?"

Prince Keith wanted privacy with her but not in the cold night air, "I suppose it's better than nothing."

"Don't jump for joy now, Prince Keith. I'd hate for you to throw out your back." Skylar jabbed his gut lightly with her elbow before she hooked her arm around his.

He glanced down at her as they exited the ballroom. Smirking, Keith swallowed the remark he intended to make. He was happy. Even when she back talked him, he was happy. A challenging woman was exactly what he wanted, but he did better than he hoped. Once they entered the hall, Skylar cuddled closer to Keith's arm and wrapped both arms around. She smiled against the fabric of his uniform. He slowed to a stroll as they neared the balcony door.

Skylar breathed in the night air and found the sky glittering with stars, "It's nice to have some privacy, isn't it?"

Keith nodded and stared out to the dark crashing waters of the lake. How could he have really lived with out her there with him? As he stared out, he decided it was impossible. He used to be an empty husk of a man with a selfish, proud heart, constantly clashing with the woman beside him. That fighting helped her prove to him just how empty he had been before. How spoiled he was. Skylar showed him the reality of the world with her own. She lived a rough, penniless commoner's life and remained a strong person which he admired. The way she survived, even when she left Liberty, surprised him.

When she left, he could not breathe the air the same way. Every part of the manse reminded him of Skylar. Catherine told him he should have been stronger and held onto her, but he was never sure what she meant until the moment he built up the courage to bring Skylar back. He had pulled himself up by his bootstraps and went to find her. Keith thought it was his callous pride that pushed her away.

Skylar was sitting on her patio in the yard with her visiting brothers when he'd gotten there. Keith was shocked to find her with two men so soon after she left, and with a fury in his eyes, approached the house. At the time, he didn't know they were her twin brothers and immediately went forth into action. He spoke accusingly and said a manner of distasteful things toward them while trying to show her his bottled up feelings.

He recalled his words with a chuckle,_ "You can't take care of her because she doesn't want to be cared for!" Keith had screamed in the face of her brothers without daring a look to Skylar's face, "She wants to be her own person. Did you know she dreamed of being a princess when she was younger? That she used to be bullied in school too? She's too strong for either of you!" _

_Keith had looked over at Skylar sapphire eyes and felt his heart breaking at the sight, "Too strong for me." Skylar stared him down without saying a word or showing an expression on her face, "She deserves the best, and shouldn't be treated badly." Keith tore his eyes away and pointed a finger at them, "If you ever are lucky to win her heart, don't you ever hurt her! Or you'll answer to me!"_

_Once he finished, the brothers stared wide-eyed at him. Jude laughed, "Sis, I didn't think guys in Charles were this aggressive."_

_Andrew shook his head, "Is he a stalker or something?"_

_Skylar inhaled roughly and whispered, "No. He's the guy I fell in love with."_

_"No offense, sis, but you've got bad taste." Jude joked before Andrew punched his shoulder._

_Andrew cleared his throat, "We'll go inside and leave you two to talk." He squeezed Skylar's shoulder, "Will you be okay?"_

_She nodded and sat back down in her white patio chair as the brothers headed inside her house._

_Prince Keith felt red from head to toe. How foolish of him to yell like that at her brothers. He's probably scared her off even worse than he had before. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he sat in one of the chairs opposite of her as she held his eyes in a steely gaze. Keith honestly feared what she would say and worse if she cried in front of him._

_Skylar's eyes glared at him, "What the hell are you doing here?" _

_Prince Keith crossed his legs and kept silent as he thought it over in his head. He kept calm on the outside as his insides flipped, "I came to see you, obviously."_

_Her eyes watered but didn't leak as she frowned, "I will not deal with your callous words, Your Highness." Skylar spoke coldly and kept her arms firmly against her chest._

_"I'm sorry." He mumbled and sat up in his chair, "I'm sorry for everything, Skylar." He slumped forward with his elbows on his knees, "I came to apologize and be honest with you. I wanted to have a private conversation."_

_She bobbed her head, "Go on." She mumbled and crossed her ankles._

_"I know you loved me. I'm not naïve. I'm not good with expressing my feelings." Keith said and rubbed his chin as his teeth chattered nervously, "You know that." He burrowed his brow._

_"I know." Skylar mumbled, "Neither am I."_

_"As I got to know you, they became painted all over your face." He spoke softly with a smirk, "I still don't know why you left."_

_Skylar gazed off to the house, "You're a prince."_

_He widened his eyes, "Is that it?" _

_She jerked her head back, "That's everything!" Skylar shouted and stood. She turned away as her eyes brimmed with tears._

_Prince Keith stood from his chair and embraced her from behind, "I would give up the crown for you."_

_"W-what?" Skylar tensed in his arms as her tears fell. She placed her arms over his as he tightened his grip._

_"I love you, Skylar." Prince Keith admitted, "I admit it. Pride be damned, Skylar."_

_She laughed once through her tears and relaxed against him, "But I'm a commoner. I would never ask you to leave Liberty."_

_"Then there's only one option, Skylar." He whispered and placed a kiss on her ear as he spoke, "Will you marry me?"_

Skylar embraced him as he became entranced by the memory. He rested his head atop hers as she tightened her grip around his body. Keith left his mind and acknowledged the woman in front of him. The last six months staying in Liberty were good to them as they rebuilt their relationship, one step at a time. Every now and then, they argue about old wounds, but they never end the day angry. He insures that by swallowing his pride as does she. He regained her trust and faith with each embrace. Still, he found it difficult to discuss what he felt. Somehow, Skylar is able to decipher it most of the time, and that gives Keith hope.

"I'm happy." Keith broke the silence and Skylar stared into his green eyes. Keith cupped her face with his hand and brushed away a stray hair with the other.

With trembling lips, she whispered, "I am, too."

Keith stared down at her quivering lips as they parted, "You're tempting me too much, woman."

She smirked, "Just how will you punish me, my prince?"

Keith grinned evilly and brushed his lips against the tip of her nose, "You'll find out when we go home."

"Kiss me." Skylar demanded as he pressed his lips to her cheek.

"Where?" Prince Keith kissed her forehead, "Here?" He bushed his lips against her chin, "Here?"

Skylar groaned, "You're impossible. Stop teasing me."

Keith blinked and lovingly caressed her cheek, "Oh, you mean there." He trailed off as his lips crashed against Skylar's.

She surrendered to his touch and raised her arms around his neck as his delved deeper. He traced kisses down her jaw until Keith growled hungrily against her neck. Skylar giggled as he sucked and nibbled on her skin. He wouldn't leave any marks until they returned. He promised himself that.

"It's nice to have some privacy, huh?" Keith repeated Skylar's words as he met her lips again.

She moaned ruefully, "Let's head home early. Right after the announcement." Skylar opened her eyes as he met her gaze, "I need to receive punishment after all."

He smirked and chewed his lip, "We're going to become those homebodies you told me about, aren't we?" Though Keith talked this way, his blush expanded from his face to his neck. Skylar had that effect on him just as he had on her.

Skylar nodded and pressed herself even closer than before as if they had on no clothes at all, "The worst kind: Bedroombodies."


End file.
